2008 isn't over and I'm sure many of us will have comments on the all American selections that will be announced soon, the player of the year awards, etc. But it may not be too early to start thinking about the 2009 Tar Heels -- even before the memories of 2008 fade. In that vein, I've started this 2009 thread. To jump start discussion, here are some thoughts on what the team may look like next year. The front line is likely to look a lot like this year, only better if people progress and no one gets hurt. As I see it, we have 4 legitimate "starters" now and coming back: Noguera, McDonald, Jones, and Bartok. To that we can add at least three solid reserves: Briggs, Pfankuch, and Mathias. One incoming freshman, Rich, could also figure into this mix. Given the defensive roles of the forwards and the physical/endurance demands put on them, we need at least 6 forwards, so baring injuries, we should be as strong here next year as we were this year. Assuming personal improvement in these individual players, we should be stronger. That's pretty exciting. The backline is also likely to look a lot like this year. All three -- Engen, Eveland, and Given -- will be back. Brooks is an incoming freshman with U-17 experience, so she might also be expected to get some playing time here. So, again, barring injury they should be at least as good as this year, and they were outstanding IMO this year, and assuming personal development, they should be even stronger. Goal is an area where we may have concern. Harris will be back, but we may miss Rodenbough a lot. I can't think of a goalie I rather have in a penalty kick situation and she has gotten a lot more reliable in the run of play, but Harris' very aggressive style suggests a high probability of her getting hurt. So having a "starter level" alternative goalie next year seems a high priority to me. I don't know much about our current backups -- Tucker and Welsh-Loveman -- and we have one incoming goalie, Hanna Daly, who seems to be rated at a regional level, but this is a position where we seems to need someone to step forward as an alternative to Harris, if the need arises. The midfield is perhaps the most interesting line to speculate on. Losing Yael and Allie are big holes to fill, but we seem to have the people who could be configured into an outstanding midfield. I assume Hawkins will be the main central defending middie, but Wood looks very promising in that position, and she has the height Anson likes there. I don't see see Hawkins as the attacking central middie/playmaker, but I may wrong here. The left and right flanks look solid, with Heath and Washington in those positions. We have one incoming middie with national team experinece -- Ranee Premji from Canada. I don't know where she might fit into the equation. The big unknown in the midfield seems to be a playmaker/central attacking midfielder. I have a wild, off the wall suggestion for that position -- Noguera. She has the ball skills to control the ball and hold off defenders; she often played a supporting role on the flank so she is accustomed to serving other players, and she does this extremely well; and it would put her in front of the goal to follow up, make occasional runs into the box, and to blast shots from just beyond the 18. A couple of big ifs here are how she would feel about playing this positon (Anson tried putting Parlow there, she seemed to hate it, and he moved her back up top soon after) and whether or not it would increase or cut down on overall scoring. But sosmething to think about. I haven't mentioned Klingenberg in all this. She can and has played well in all three lines -- left back with the U-21s, right flanker with us, and sometimes as forward with us. Will Anson continue to use her as a utility player he can fit in virtually anywhere? Don't know but she is too good and too much an energizer for the whole team not to find a position for her where she can contribute and lead. So, all in all, I'm really excited about next year. Barring injuries and assuming Anson can figure out how to give out enough playing time to all the girls who deserve it to keep them happy, it should be another outstanding year.
Thanks for the 2009 overview. I hadn't gotten into that mode. I was having fun on the old thread until we got bumped. Seems like most of the world's ills are caused by the worship of dead people....
Pencil it in barring any major injuiries North Carolina wins back to back National Soccer Championships! Who is going to beat them?
Gee, like it or not, I guess we got booted to a new year... Feels a little like putting up the X-mas decorations in August, but ok... Thanks, jbs01, for getting us started. I wonder if it is possible for players to be too good for their own good... I'm thinking about Megan Klingenberg and Whit Engen. Klingenberg has shown she can play either flank, did a great job at defense with the U-WWC, and has that Heather O'Reilly like intensity that also makes her a very effective threat up top. Whitney Engen was among our better returning strikers, and would be my choice for Rookie Defender of the year in the women's college game. The reason I bring her up is that among all the returning Heels, she seems to best embody the mind set and skill set we need at attacking midfield. I don't know (i) who could replace the exceptional job she did at central defense; (ii) how much you can jerk one player around in the course of a college career; but IMO, she would be an exceptional attacking midfielder. I don't know enough about Premji to know how she might fit in. Ali Hawkins didn't have what I would call her best set of games in the recent tournament (though she did fine), however when she is healthy and fit I continue to feel she defines the gold-standard for what the Heels want and need in a central defensive midfielder. Playing at her best, I think she owns that job till graduation. I agree Wood is also doing a nice job there. I don't think so. I am very proud of the way the UNC coaching staff has handled its overabundance of Championship level keepers. IMO, one of the classier things the program has done! However, to a degree, the decision to play both keepers has whipsawed the field players. On a personal level, I'll miss Rodenbough, but Harris will do an awesome job in back. I'm looking forward to her having a chance to solo. I think it will improve her game even more, and allow her to establish needed chemistry with the back line. She has had more than her fair share of injuries. She is due for some good luck! Outside backs will almost certainly stay the same. Givan did a great job coming into that role, and Eveland continues her rock-solid career. Hard to say enough about Norgueira! I think she'll start... I would offer JBS very strong odds she stays right where she is, up top. I also really liked Courtney Jones up there this season. I think, in comparison, everyone else has something to work on: timing, touch, fitness... something... to really nail a spot up top. I expect Anson will also bring in a couple hungry freshmen. Up and coming reserves: Leslie Briggs really "heard the call" on that rainy night against Western Carolina, and she has never looked back. I expect to see a lot more from her--Anson just loves players who can play out of their heads like that (I do too!). Pfankuch seemed to be fitting in very well; Sterling Smith if she can stay healthy; and Mathias is working into the mix. If I were to speculate on a starting eleven next year: Harris Eveland, (?), Givan Washington, Hawkins, (?), Heath Jones, Nogueira, Klingenberg With Engen in the middle in one of the (?) slots (probably central back), and the mystery player to be named later in the other-- It will be fun to see. We have a stunning amount of returning talent. Go Heels!
I aggree and I suspect you're right, and you might even go on to say that moving what many think is the best college player (and striker) in the country anywhere else would be crazy. But, just for the sake of discussion, think about what the Heels might look like with her playing the playmaker role. First of all, she has great skills for that position. She is a superb ball handler (anyone know anyone in the country that is better?). You are not going to disposses her without at least two and probably three defenders. She is very quick to move the ball, with flicks, one touch passes, etc., so bringing the multiple defenders is going to be hard. She has got great field vision and picks out teammates very well. And she has a great shot from 25 yards or closer. Assume she has got Nikki on the right, with her incredible speed and ability to make deep runs to the endline. Assume she has got Tobin on the left with her ball handling abilities for handoffs back and forth. And assume she has got Jones and Bartok in front of her with their speed and McDonald with her general abilities, headers, and height. If the opposition drops off to block passing lanes, she shoots. If they converge on her, she passes forward to a striker making a diagonal run or a through ball that they run onto. If that option is not open, she passes wide to either Tobin to do her magic or to Washington to do her blaze of speed thing. Again, I agree taht the better part of wisdom is to just help her to continue her development as a striker, but it would be interesting to see Anson give her a shot at playmaker, perhaps this spring. A main thing would then be which position she likes best, because I suspect Anson is going to let her play where ever she wants to. Just something to think about . . .
Hey, far be it from me to throw stones! Before Engen took over central back (but after Sundhage paved the way) I recall suggesting the 2008 solution to Maxwell's loss might be to consider shaping in a gated back four with Heath on the outside of Givan and Eveland (I think maybe I had Klingenberg on the other end of the gate....) and letting our flank defenders roam up the sides, much as the WNT does. As I recall, that didn't gain much traction... , but it is fun to think outside of the box, throw a little dust into the wind and see how folks react. Nogueira has incredible ball skills and impeccable composure. She could be a great play-maker. I think she'll get that chance. Right after Carolina switches to that 4-back....
I intended to post this earlier, before the 2008 thread closed down, but maybe it more rightly belongs here: Congratulations, farewell, and good luck to the 2008-2009 seniors! While we have many players eager and ready to step into their shoes, this class leaves a void in the roster that is larger than their numbers, or their individual contributions on the field. I will especially miss Mandy Moraca who played where-ever she was asked, when-ever she was asked, and always with heart enough for three outstanding players. I am very happy that Allie Long can go out on a Championship win, especially after she came in and contributed so much to what proved to be a turbulent 2007 season. Anna Rodenbough's remarkable career with the Heels is just an amazing success story on so many levels, and of course we are all scratching our heads about how we will replace Yael Averbuch's exceptional presence in the midfield... No appreciation of this year's class would be complete without revisiting this moment: Hope you enjoy it; I only wish I had one for each of these exceptional players. http://www.ocsn.com/media_server/pl...9sep/090306_yalenorthcarolina_w-soccer_hl.asx Best of luck! And thanks for the memories, ladies!
You guys should be great next year. A couple of weeks ago, I checked out the top group of this year's teams to see who was losing whom. Here's what I came up with (may be some red-shirts with more eligibility in here that I'm not aware of): Stanford: Started 3 frosh, 3 sophs, 3 juniors, and 2 seniors (Abegg and Falk). Their two main subs were a junior and a soph. Their big loss will be at central defender, as I believe their two seniors are their central defenders. If they can satisfactorily fill in their central defender positions, they'll be very strong. However, those are key positions. UCLA: Started 1 frosh, 2 sophs, 4 juniors, and 4 seniors (Zerboni, DeMartino, Hardy, and Thompson). Their two main subs are a junior and a frosh. These are very key players they will be losing. (The year after, they will be losing Cheney, Lang, Wilmoth, and Cook, three of which will be very big losses.) Somewhere I heard a rumbling that maybe Lang will go pro? Assuming Lang stays for next year, they'll be good but I think maybe not quite as good as this year. In 2010, unless that have a lot of unseen talent on the bench or great new talent coming in, I see a drop off. Notre Dame: Had some mixing up of starters, so I've got 12 listed. Started 3 frosh, 2 sophs, 3 juniors, and 4 seniors (Hanks, Bock, Weber, and Dew). Like UCLA, they will be losing some very key players. North Carolina: Had some mixing up of starters, so I've got 14 listed. Started 1 frosh, 4 sophs, 6 juniors, and 3 seniors (Long, Avervbuch, and Rodenbaugh). I would expect you to be very strong again next year, especially adding back Washington and Klingenberg from the U20s. The year after, however, you lose Nogueira, Heath, Washington, Engen, Eveland, and Harris. Wow, those are huge losses. I assume Anson already is in the re-tooling process. Portland: Had some mixing up of starters, so I've got 14 listed. Started 4 frosh, 5 sophs, 3 juniors, and 2 seniors (Rapinoe and Nicholson). The Pilots should be very strong next year, especially adding back Winters, Reed, and Enyeart from the U20s. The year after, they lose Enyeart and Davis (GK). I think these teams all look strong next year, with the likely strongest being UNC, Portland, and Stanford (if Stanford can fill their central defense roles), with Notre Dame and UCLA being slightly weaker. I haven't checked out Florida State; and I know Florida thinks they were young this year.
Toss in Jessica McDonald who is listed as a junior in the media guide and was also listed as such on the scoreboard during the NCAA tournament intros. She was definitely a weapon in the success this year. I'm not sure how you recover from 7 high-quality starters. Not to mention they will lose some bench players. Per the line-ups... No one has mentioned Erin Mikula in the mix for next year. I hope she can come back strong from her ACL injury. She had a lot of quality minutes in 2007 so I my expectation would be for her to rejoin the midfield if healthy.
yeah, next year will be great, but the year after will be...interesting. of course, the year after kacey, lori, tarp, kendall, aly and vanessa toll graduated we won the big shebang with a team full of freshman...
I may have this wrong, but it was my understanding that McDonald comes in as a Junior with Sophmore eligibility. I thought that she used only one year in AZ and (depending on graduation plans, etc.) could potentially play for as many as 3 years for the Heels. Am I wrong about that? 2009 recuiting will be big. It will be very daunting for the rookies to win playing time, but this is when we really need to be building our depth chart in order to be able to replace the exceptional class of 2006. Oversight. My bad. I agree, we will probably see her back in the midfield mix.
According to the recruiting thread in this forum, Tarheel 2009 commits are Amber Brooks, Hannah Daly, Barkley Minton, Rane Premji, and Alyssa Rich. Of those, only Minton (a Broughton student) does not have youth nat'l team experience. Premji's experience being w/ Canada. Here's the spreadsheet with the info.
I didn't actually see it resolved, so I was going by the fact that the scoreboard had updated her to be a junior (compared to the roster). The discussion seemed to with questions about the LOI. She is listed as having signed one for basketball in 2007-2008. I haven't investigated what that means, though because I'm sure someone (CW) already knows.
I guess it would depend on whether there was any hardship or granted release. An athlete only sign one letter of intent, and it's with the institution, not per sport. and the basic penalty as it is presented on the NLI site: Her old school can waive the penalty, and some schools often do. I can think of at least one case where a student transfered out and played against UP at the start of the following season and played a full four years (2 yrs. at each school) without having to sit a year. The fact that Macdonald sat would seem to indicate the release wasn't granted. The first question to ask is, did she spend a full academic year at her old school? The second is, has she spent a full academic year at UNC?
It gets harder to decipher then. Here's a link for that issue: http://www.angelfire.com/vt/prospectwatch/index4.html I confess my eyes crossed when I read it. There seem to be so many conditions it would take quite a while to go through. Have fun!
I couldn't quite make sense of it, so I asked and received an authoritative answer. I won't wait for the drum roll... 3 years total. 2 more chances for rings.
Another interesting idea- use Eveland in the center back; she played sweeper most of her club career, use Kling at right back behind Nikki, use Engen where Yael played- that is her true position. Kling would have to stay home in that position more that U20's but she would be awesome there. just an idea
Sweeper??????????? What club team is that???????????? I have yet to watch a sweeper at any level get better as a player
Sweeper??????????? What club team is that???????????? I have yet to watch a sweeper at any level get better as a player
I would put Brooks down as the third defender. I've seen her play a number of times recently. Maybe a little small, but high work rate, tough as nails, fits the system.
the US WNT has its first camp for 2009 in late January. Any thoughts on UNC players who might be asked to come? I would assume Heath will be there, although that may not be a given. I get the feeling, at least from comments by some of the commentators, that she may be viewed by some as a little too clever on the ball, e.g., too interested in nutmegging vs. making the simple pass. Thoughts on this? I would hope Noguera would get a look. Don't see how you could not look at someone who leads the country with 25 goals and also in total points, best player of the year in several polls, etc. Averbuch might also rate a look as a defensive midfielder. She is big, skilled, and able to start the offensive from deep. Nikki and Kling, maybe, but they may be viewed as not quite ready yet A "sleeper" could be Engen. Wow, what a great year she had running the defense. She could be a long-term replacement possibility for Margraff and/or Rampone or for a backup there. Other thoughts?